CRI Science: Climate Change   

In 2021, Saul Griffith presented what we will learn is one of the simplest roadmaps to stop global warming: replacing all fossil-fuel-burning machines with electric devices and switching all electricity generation to renewable sources, primarily solar, wind, and hydro. In this course, we will examine current global and national energy use; the amount of electricity required to perform the same work; progress and trends in renewable electricity generation; and realistic timelines for future progress. We will learn what solar energy is; how wind farms and agrivoltaics work; the electrify-everything strategy; the roles of hydroelectric power and batteries; whether new technologies are necessary; the level of investment required to transition to renewable electricity; the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy; the challenge of intermittency; and the importance of maintaining adequate energy supply throughout the transition to fully clean energy.